I have been on Sertraline for 18 days now. I started at 25mg and am now on day 8 of 50mg. I have had no appetite at all and eating is a real chore. I actually dread mealtime because I know I'm going to have to choke food down.

I have lost about 3.5lbs since I started the drug. Here's the problem though: I don't know if it is the Sertraline itself causing me to lose my appetite or if it is my anxiety ABOUT the Sertraline that is causing me to lose my appetite. I have been obsessing about side effects since taking my first pill so I don't know if it is my mind or my body.

Before I was ever on this drug I would go weeks without wanting to eat because of my anxiety. So I don't know if this is happening again or if the Sertraline is harming my GI tract.

If you're not comfortable to leave your house, since you have a baby, then open up your account with Netflix: http://movies.netflix.com/WiHomeBrowse through the categories and write down ten movies that you find interesting. If you don't have an account, then you can still start with a free month, now, if you register: https://signup.netflix.com/Once you have ten movies, then order each movie you want to watch.

Go to the nearest grocery store that has Redbox, with your movies, and pick up movies. Then buy the best tasting yogurt or ice-cream that you find appealing. You may also want to add fruit like bananas, since they're easier to eat and digest. If yogurt and fruit doesn't appeal to you, find another appealing grocery item that you like, which would you not have a problem eating.

Go home.

Come to this step, regardless of what decision you choose:Spread your food in front of the bench that sits across your television set. Spend today to watch the first movie, and every day afterwards, watch the next movie, etc, until the tenth day, you've seen all the movies.

Laugh, cry, enjoy each movie you see. Write reviews at the end of each movie, and post your reviews on movie critic sites.

Turn off your internet for a few days, or at least do not attempt to use the internet to clarify your issues about medication and anxiety. Make your primary contact your doctor. Be sure to take your Setraline every day as prescribed, then just watch movies all day, as your babysit your baby. Recognize that your own hypochondria around Zoloft is more than likely a creation of your own mind, however you are working to stop thinking about it, since you have movies to watch, and movie reviews to write out.

Eat, watch good movies, and check on your child. Forget about the anxiety medication, forget about your problems, forget about your questions. Just take the medication, as prescribed every day, and just forget everything and expect good acting to make you feel alive.

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I don't know if it is the Sertraline itself causing me to lose my appetite or if it is my anxiety ABOUT the Sertraline that is causing me to lose my appetite. I have been obsessing about side effects since taking my first pill so I don't know if it is my mind or my body.

Before I was ever on this drug I would go weeks without wanting to eat because of my anxiety. So I don't know if this is happening again or if the Sertraline is harming my GI tract.

It could be either. The gut has its own 'brain,' the enteric nervous system which makes and uses far more serotonin than the main brain does, some 95% compared to less than 2%, and SSRIs can disrupt this, usually only temporarily. However, given you had anxiety triggered eating issues even before starting Zoloft I suspect this more anxiety than med. Either way it should resolve as the Zoloft kicks-in.

NOTE: I'm not a doctor, and particularly not yours, so there may be factors I'm unaware of. Therefore all advice is of a general nature and you should consult your doctor before following any of it, especially before changing med doses.

Abraham, that is some solid advice. I already am on Netflix pretty religiously. It gets me through the day. Most of the time I feel okay, but when meal time rolls around I become a mess. My stomach tenses, I become nauseated and often gag, and then I can barely look at the food. Also, since starting the Sertraline my tummy makes sooooo much noise, which also makes things worse for me. I know I just need to relax. I need to stop making meal time such an ordeal. Thank you for your thoughtful post. It is much appreciated and I think it's fantastic.

insights, thank you again for your post. I have been on 50mgs for 8 days now. How much longer should these side effects, if they are side effects, last? In the mean time I am really going to try to stop making eating such a big deal.

Most of the time I feel okay, but when meal time rolls around I become a mess. My stomach tenses, I become nauseated and often gag, and then I can barely look at the food. Also, since starting the Sertraline my tummy makes sooooo much noise, which also makes things worse for me. I know I just need to relax. I need to stop making meal time such an ordeal.

...I have been on 50mgs for 8 days now. How much longer should these side effects, if they are side effects, last?

How long side-effects may last is one of those 'how long is a piece of string' questions which are unanswerable. Often a couple of weeks, but it can be less, or more.

However, based on the first paragraph I've quoted, it is clear this isn't a side-effects problem, but a psychological one. The only possible sertraline symptoms you appear to have is some stomach rumbling which is not actually causing you any physical problems, and which could just as easily be because you're not eating properly.

I urge you to discuss your eating difficulties with your doctor asap. Eating disorders can be very hard to resolve so eating problems should be tackled early to prevent them developing into a disorder. Please don't ignore this.

NOTE: I'm not a doctor, and particularly not yours, so there may be factors I'm unaware of. Therefore all advice is of a general nature and you should consult your doctor before following any of it, especially before changing med doses.

it took about six weeks for my apetite to return to normal, but that includes a dosage increase in the middle. One day you will wake up and you will be hungrier again. From what it sounds like, it is just the Zoloft working. I was never really hungry, and ate smaller portions, until just about a week ago. It was most noticeable during Thanksgiving week when i was barely touching my turkey.

It does sound like your anxiety is being triggered now because you anticipate not being hungry. I agree with insights that the psychological stress should be more closely examined by your doctor, before it gets worse.